October 25, 2005

Hilda challenged me to tell you 20 things about myself - and since I'm still trying to figure out how to use this blog, I guess I'll try it. Hmmm, can I think of 20 things to say that might be of any interest? Oh well, if they aren't, you can skip over them pretty quickly.

1. I'm originally from the Midwest -- born in a small town in Southern Illinois and have lived in several other small towns in SI, as well as in Paducah twice in my childhood.

2. I have a degree in Clothing & Textiles Merchandising from Southern Illinois University -- back when there was a Home Ec Dept. at SIU, and my degree was under the Home Ec Dept., not Marketing or Business -- so between 4H, Jr. High & High School Home Ec and college, I have had tons of clothing construction classes. Quilting was a reasonable leap.

3. My grandma started to teach me to quilt when I was about 9 or 10 - simple 9 patch blocks cut using a template. My mom found the box of blocks in the attic a few years ago, still with template -- one of these days I'm going to do something with that UFO!

4. There was a long dry spell on the quilting front, then after I moved to Phoenix in 1978, I went through the quilt exhibit at the fair, found a chapter to join and the hobby has taken over my life.

5. Like Hilda, I pray for early retirement - I need more quilting time. Unfortunately, right now my day job supports my fabric habit - just barely.

6. After I moved to Arizona, I got a job as a legal secretary before I was able to find a retail display position (which is the only aspect of retailing that I decided I really liked, after going to the trouble of getting the degree). Being a legal secretary pays as well or better than retailing did, for me at least, and there's nothing at work that I want to buy - so it was a good switch!

7. I am single and share my space with 2 cats, Cali and Fanni. They're my kids, so if I start to go on and get boring talking about them, forgive me. I do have 4 nieces as well, so I can switch off to them as a topic of conversation occasionally.

8. I'm the oldest of 3 children. My sister lives within 2 miles of my dad (my mom passed away last spring), and brother within 7 miles. They both work with my dad as well.

9. It took me no time to adjust to life in the Southwest, even though I moved here at the beginning of the long hot summer. I will never live farther east than New Mexico again -- but I do hope to move to New Mexico some day!

10. Reading is my other favorite hobby and between the books and the quilting stuff, I'm running out of room to live in my little condo -- ah to have more space one of these days!

OKAY, 10 WASN'T TOO HARD - BUT 20? I THINK THIS MAY GO DOWNHILL FROM HERE!

11. Hilda and I have been friends since we both attended the AZ retreat a few years ago and I've really enjoyed getting to know her. The friends I've been close to for the longest live farther away -- Iris in Marion, IL and Sandy in Austin, TX.

12. I am tired of city life and long to move some place more rural - but within reasonable driving distance of a city for the big stuff. But I don't want to have to drive a long distance to work, so perhaps this is off a bit in the distance?

13. My favorite flower is a dandelion that has gone to seed! Tulips are a close second.

14. I guess autumn colors are truly my favorite -- brown, gold, rust, red, etc. But I try to never limit my quilting palette to my favorite colors - I believe in using "all the crayons in my box." I rarely make quilts to match anyone's decor and scrap quilts are my favorite -- the more fabrics, the better.

15. I''m a Libra - maybe that's why autumn is my favorite season? Maybe it's just because the long, hot summer here is finally over and we can open the windows again.

16. I love to sit on my porch with a glass of wine and watch a thunderstorm - we get some magnificent ones here during the summer monsoon season. The rest of the year I have to find other excuses for my glass of wine!

17. I always wear silver jewelry -- mostly earrings (5 holes in my ears, 3 on one side, 2 on the other) and a favorite necklace - right now its a faceted piece of smoky quartz wrapped with silver wire that I got at the flea market in Santa Fe. Occasionally wear a bracelet, but don't like anything on my right wrist - it gets in my way, and I wear my watch on my left wrist most of the time, so bracelets fall by the wayside mostly. And rings bother me, so I rarely wear them either.

18. I don't like diamonds. Love emeralds, opals, so it isn't that I don't like gemstone jewelry, just have never been a diamond fan.

19. Guess I don't know what I want to be when I grow up either -- legal secretary certainly isn't it, although it isn't a bad way to make a living - but it's a job, not something I love. I'd love to have all my time to quilt, but I don't see myself doing it as a way to make a living either. I just want to do what I want, when I want and then it's easier to give it away than to sell it.

20. I love to take naps -- go to bed with a good book and the cats, and read myself to sleep - a great treat for a weekend afternoon!

Okay, finally done -- that wasn't easy. Who's next?!